new projects and adventures

The last few weeks have involved a little travelling, being a part of the Rrrants collective in Brighton and Rickmansworth, and travelling to gigs in London.

I also went along to Newport Pagnell’s Cannon pub on Friday 18^th for some top-notch open-mic. Great to see and hear some new faces and voices, all coming together to celebrate the opening of the new Bookshop Maggie & Josie’s. And then to Cambridge on the 22^nd for the wonderful Allographic! Hosted by Fay Roberts, this had fantastic guest poets, as well as established and new local talent. Such a warm and friendly atmosphere, with some quality entertainment, managing to move and amuse the audience in large measures. Headliners Leanne Moden and Young Dawkins were inspired choices, a truly memorable gig!

Next week things are really starting to hot-up, I’ll be taking part in Stoke Newington Literary festival on Sunday 3^rd June, as part of a selection of poets reading and performing at Baby Bathhouse at 3pm. Then I’m back in Stony for the Big Lunch on Monday 4^th which starts the week of Stony Live for me.

For something a little different (for me!) I have been Rehearsing some poems with guitar accompaniment by Mark Niel For “An Evening with the Bard & Friends” on 7^th June. I’m also pleased to have some new pieces ready for performance. Hopefully a little light, and a little dark as usual. Please join in the Crown in the Market square that night, you’ll get a warm welcome and some great entertainment.

topical 'n' stuff. Take 1

response to: http://www.aboutmyarea.co.uk/Buckinghamshire/Milton-Keynes/MK11/News/Local-News/221497-Shakespeares-Stony-Stratford-Quote-On-Twitter

“Last night, I hear, they lay at Stony Stratford”

Those two doomed nephews of the crooked king.

Where ale and music would serve as little distraction

For two homesick boys’ fitful sheltering.

With these few words, the Bard helped etch us into history.

Literature and drama, so at home in our town.

News and tales are tossed and passed from inn to pub to bar.

This one rested briefly, at the Rose & Crown.

deadlines and opportunities

Having finally finished my contribution for the Stony Live programme, it’s probably time to help plan the event I’m taking part in. All the work so far has been ably handled by Scribal Gathering’s Richard Frost. “An evening with the Bard and Friends” will be happening at The Crown on the evening of the 7^th June (Thursday)

My poem “Oxygen” got its maiden voyage at the Rrrants gig in St Albans last night, where I also spoke a little about Stony Live as well. Spreading the word as I believe is part of the remit of being the Bard. And of course, I’m still looking to recruit performers for what will now be known as the Monkey Kettle stage of the Stony Paint Jam in August. I’m really glad to be working with those guys, who will be booking the musical acts, and no doubt have their own “branding” and merch to dress the place up with.

Meanwhile, tomorrow (Thursday) night, I’ll be helping out at Mark Niel’s launch for his CD “Somewhere South of Normal” at University Centre, Silbury Boulevard from 7pm. It’s a charity event in support of Arts Gateway, which advises and supports all kinds of arts projects in the city. See https://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/events/376044809083398/ for details.

Also this week I have to fill in those application forms for MK International Festival, as I’m hoping to get the opportunity to help out on a couple of theatre events. A little ushering, selling and possibly “firestarting”! I do believe there is a massive recruitment drive for more volunteers too...

And on that note, I’d best be off, finally pleased that I’ve finished something before a deadline. Plenty of blood, sweat and tears involved of course.

belated procrastination

After two very busy social weekends, this is going to be the one to settle into some writing and performing, I promise!

I’ll be on 3 counties radio on Wednesday morning, at about 8.20am to discuss some issues of the day, as well as to offer a new poem. I’ll also get working on the plan for Stony Live. There will be another (after last year’s successful) “An Evening with the Bard and Friends” on Thursday 7^th June. It’ll be a top-notch evening of stimulating performance poetry with a little light music. Free entry too, with donations going towards Stony Live. I do also have to finish a piece on the topic of Stony Live as well, although again I’m scratching my head and worrying that what I’m working on is a little off-topic.

Also, there’s another meet for Stony Paint Jam, so I have to get some more poets confirmed for the poetry stage for that weekend (get in touch if you want to perform there!), and I still have to plan logistics for a couple of festivals I’m performing at over the next few weeks. If anyone is interested in volunteering at the International Festival in July, there’s a recruitment meeting at MK Gallery on Wednesday too. I’m hoping to get involved as this festival is big news, and it’ll be all hands on deck to make it happen! Get the lowdown right here: http://www.ifmiltonkeynes.org/volunteering.html

Meantime, I have to find some time to sit and assemble a few ideas and scribbles into actual poems!

for more of this, but less of that, two-step over to: http://www.aboutmyarea.co.uk/Buckinghamshire/Milton-Keynes/MK11

April plans

Just a brief one to say that tomorrow (Wednesday 4^th April) will be a busy one for me. Getting up early to sit in on Mark Niel’s regular guest spot on BBC 3 Counties Radio (8.10am), as I’ll be hijacking the spot on the 18^th when he’s on holiday.

Then in the evening, I’ll be meeting with some of the fantastically energetic and talented creative bods behind the Stony Paint Jam, happening across the town on the weekend of the 18^th/19^th August. I met with Ewan and Nikki who are instrumental in putting the whole thing together, on Friday. It’ll be across at least four venues, including an acoustic/spoken word stage at The Bull. It’ll be up to me to get some poetry talent together for that space. There are a lot of slots to fill, but it’s unlikely to be open mic, so please get in touch if you’re interested and you could be in with a chance of taking part in this unique event.

Last week I thoroughly enjoyed the Arts Gateway Mingle, which was a great chance to meet creative professionals, and to find out about some of the stunning events that are lined up for the city this Summer. The International Festival looks (please excuse the hyperbole) mind blowing, with some breathtaking theatre events being promised. There will be fringe events happening around town too, I recommend taking a look at the overview on http://www.destinationmiltonkeynes.co.uk/Visit_us/milton_keynes_summer_of_culture or search for MK Festival Fringe on Facebook or the other usual places.

quietly planning for big things

Happy Springtime greetings to you all! The days are getting longer and the birds are getting frisky, this is a great time of year to be a poet! Now, I know I’ve been a bit quiet recently, but I’m trying to just stick to relevant news and stuff. Well since getting my car locked into the Odell’s Yard car park after Scribal Gathering, (it was fine, I managed to rescue it the next morning) I’ve not had much time to spend in Stony Stratford, but I’ve got Stony AHA and Stony Live on my mind. I’m not yet sure how I’ll be involved in the former but should at least get my thinking cap on.

I’m currently making necessary arrangements for the printing of my book, and wondering whether I can stretch to 200 copies or stick to 100. This and the planning for adventures, poetry-related and otherwise, are taking up a lot of brainspace at the moment. I’ve also performed at the lovely Morgan’s Wine Bar in Leighton Buzzard (for Oxjam), and Raising the Awen in Northampton. Very, very different gigs but with the same hugely-talented handful of poetry friends, taking our respective schticks to new audiences.

I’ll be dropping in at the MK Arts Gateway mingle on Wednesday, and again highly recommend these gatherings as a great way to meet creative professionals and enthusiastic amateurs, and learn about what funding is available, where it goes, and how to get some.

And as the days get brighter and warmer, it’s definitely time to step out and enjoy our beautiful town and its surrounding greenery. Get all the latest news and information on Stony Stratford at www.aboutmyarea.co.uk/Buckinghamshire/Milton-Keynes/MK11

Out of the darkness...

After a bit of a break to enjoy other aspects of my life (including, but not restricted to, jumping up and down for hours in a darkened room filled with NOIZE!) it’s high time for getting back on the writin’ and recitin’ trail.

I’ll be at Scribal Gathering in Stony tonight (Tuesday 13^th), now at the Bull. Free entry, and as well as the usual open-minded open mic, music from Harry Pane, and no doubt a little chaos and catastrophe, there will be a feature set from Mark Niel too!

 

Then on Sunday Ian Freemantle and myself (and Jess Midwood?) will be performing in Leighton Buzzard at some as-yet unspecified wine bar in aid of Oxfam! Sounds interesting, and as precise as us performers are used to!

 

I shall also be getting involved in the Stony Paint Jam event, on the 18^th and 19^th August. It sounds like a fantastic fusion of performance and visual art happening right in the creative hub of Stony, and I’m hoping to lend a hand in the planning part, as well as taking part in the event itself.

 

It’s good to get back into the habit of these things for a while, and to head back to Stony Stratford. Being some distance across town has stopped me spending any time there of late, and my stern message to myself also goes out to everyone else too: grab whatever creativity you have and enjoy, keep thinking, making and doing. And if you are creative I recommend heading along to the MK Arts Gateway mingle at the Gallery on 28^th March. You’ll need to pre-register at:  http://www.artsgatewaymk.org.uk/ Get connected, and get involved!

and don't forget to check out http://www.aboutmyarea.co.uk/Buckinghamshire/Milton-Keynes/MK11 for the latest goings-on in Stony Stratford.